unusual spectrum

Forums Variable Stars Recurrent Nova RS Oph unusual spectrum

#584589
Robin Leadbeater
Participant

This is only the start!  (The narrow unshifted feature comes from the circumsystem material from previous outbursts). If it follows earlier outburst there is lots more strangeness to come. Watch for highly ionised coronal lines (like [Fe X, XI, XIV]  and [A X] etc) produced as the shock heats the gas to 1 million K plus. There is an interesting account of taking spectra early in the 1958 outburst by George Wallerstein in the 2005 S&T article.

https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/celestial-objects-to-watch/when-will-rs-ophiuchi-next-blow-its-stack/

Robin